Multicompartment dispensing package



W- J- GANGWISCH William J. Gangw/sch Aug. 17, 1965 3,200,995

MULTICOMPARTMENT DISPENSING PACKAGE Filed Aug. 30. 1962 4| I5 42 25 2s 2s 47 3| 23 FIG.

F j 26 46 45 45 I I I f I f I i I r 2 FIG. 2 j s j ll I j Z 34 I I I I j I 3 a I I INVENTOR 1! MMwM ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,200,995 MULTICGMPARTMENT DISPENSING PAQKAGE William J. Gangwisch, Jersey City, N J. Colgate- Palmolive Company, Colgate-Palmolive Bldg, 300 Park Ave., New York 22, N.Y.)

Filed Aug. 30, 1962, Ser. No. 220,370 12 Claims. (Cl. 222-94) This invention relates to multicompartment dispensing packages of the squeeze bottle type and particularly to internal structure promoting efficient and adequate discharge of materials from separate containers.

It has been proposed to provide multicompartment container packages of various constructions and the chief problems encountered have been concerned with the reliable efficient discharge of properly related amounts of materials from the individual container compartments. This is particularly true where the package is of the squeeze bottle type wherein manual pressure on the outer container wall is relied upon to eliect discharge of material from both containers, and difficulty has chiefly been encountered in obtaining proper discharge of material from the inner container.

This difficulty has been overcome in the present invention by the provision of a special inner container construction which responds quickly and reliably to normal pressure on the outer container wall to always discharge the same amount of liquid or other material therefrom.

It is therefore the major object of the invention to provide a multicompartment dispensnigrpackage of the squeeze bottle type having a novel inner container structure adequately responsive to normal pressure on the outer container.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel multicompartment dispensing package wherein the inner container comprises relatively rigid and readily collapsible sections.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel multicompartment dispensing package of the squeeze bottle type wherein the inner container is of such construction that normal manual pressures on the outer container always eject substantially the same volume of material from the inner container.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel multicompartment dispensing package wherein the inner container comprises at one end a relatively rigid section attached within the discharge end of an outer flexible wall container, and the other end of the inner container is a collapsible section readily responsive to transmitted fluid pressure.

Further objects of the invention will appear in connection with the appended claims and the annexed drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical section showing detailed construction of a multicompartment dispensing package ac cording to a preferred embodiment of my invention with the discharge orifices uncovered for operation;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded view partly broken away and showing the different elements of the package; and

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section showing the. structure at the discharge orifices with the cap closed in the package of FIGURE 1.

The multicompartment dispensing package of the invention comprises essentially four elements. These are an outer container 11, an inner container 12, a special discharge and inner container mounting fitting 13 and a closure and mixing chamber defining cap 14.

The outer containeris preferably of the usual squeeze bottle type having a semi-rigid flexible side wall 15 of suitable plastic such as polyethylene. This wall 15 is normally rigid enough to maintain a given upright shape 3,200,995 Patented Aug. 17, 1965 ICC when the bottom 16 is placed on a support surface, but is suificiently flexible to respond to a gentle squeeze by the hand of a person holding the package.

At its upper end container 11 is formed with a reduced cylindrical neck portion 17 formed externally with an integral helical thread formation 18 and terminating in a flat annular surface 19 surrounding its open end.

Neck portion 17 has a cylindrical inner surface 21 adapted to tightly slidably receive the cylindrical outer skirt 22 of fitting 13. Annular fiat flange 23 on fitting 13 abuts the neck end surface 19 to limit the movement of the fitting into container 11.

Outwardly of flange 23, fitting 13 terminates in a smooth conical tip 24 that is closed except for discharge orifices 25 and 26 located at different radial distances outwardly from the center of the fitting. The invention also contemplates any number of orifices 25 or 26 in annular rows at the indicated radial locations.

Internally fitting 13 is formed with a reduced diameter cylindrical skirt 27 that is joined to the inner wall of conical tip 24- in an annular integral juncture indicated at 28 in FIGURE 3. Juncture 28 is located radially between the orifice or orifice row at 25 and the orifice or orifice row at 26.

In this manner the fitting 13 defines a space 31 enclosed by skirt 2'7 and having discharge orifice or orifices at 26, and a surrounding annular space 32 between skirts 22 and 27 having discharge orifice or orifices 25. Both spaces 31 and 32 open inwardly toward the interior of container 11.

Fitting 13 is preferably a molded relatively rigid polyethylene or like plastic integral unit dimensioned to fit fluid tight into the neck of container 11.

Inner container 12 is of considerably smaller diameter than the outer container, and it comprises an upper tubular section 33 which has a fluid tight slip fit onto the inner skirt 27 of the fitting, such supporting the inner container upon thefitting in suspended relation into the contents of the outer container 11.

Upper section 33 may be of fairly rigid to semi-rigid plastic such as polyethylene capable of resilient smooth surface grip fit on skirt 27, and it is at least rigid enough not to collapse when squeeze or discharge pressures are applied to outer container wall 15.

At its lower end and above outer container bottom 16, the inner container terminates in an extremely flexible readily collapsible section 34 which in the preferred embodiment is a thin-walled plastic tube having a closed bottom at 35 and an open upper end heat sealed or otherwise bonded in fluid tight relatively permanent relation at 36, with the non-collapsible upper section 33.

In a successful reduction to practice of this embodiment of the invention wherein the inner container is about onehalf an inch in diameter, the upper non-collapsible section 33 is of polyethylene having a wall thickness of 0.020 inch, and lower collapsible section 34 has a wall thickness of 0.013 inch.

In general the size of the collapsible section 34 that extends from the non-collapsible section 33 is selected to be of such predetermined small volume that a single normal squeeze pressure on container 15 will quickly collapse section 34 fully to discharge its entire volume through orifice 26. i

The foregoing construction provides an inner container 12 which is suspended within the outer container 11 and closed except for discharge orifice or orifices 26. The outer container is closed except for discharge orifice or orifices 25.

The cap 14 is likewise a relatively rigid polyethylene or like integral plastic unit having an annular skirt 38 formed with an internal thread 39 fitting rotatably with the outer container neck thread 13.

Above skirt 38, cap 14 is formed with a conical tip 41 that has the same inclination and shape as cone tip 24 of the fitting 13 and is provided with a central discharge opening 42;. When cap 14 has been rotated on threads 18, 39 to the container contents discharge position of FIGURE 1, both orifices 25 and 26 and the opening 42 are all uncovered and a generally conical annular mixing space 43 is formed between the cap 14 and fitting 13 to receive and mix the materials from the respective containers before discharge through opening 42.

When cap 14 is rotated to serve as a closure as in FIG- URE 3, the conical fitting and cap tips are drawn tightly together, and opening .2 is closed by the central unperforate tip portion of fitting 13 and orifices 25 and 26 are closed by the unperforate cap tip ill.

In order to limit outward movement of cap 14 when it is rotated on the container neck, it is preferred to provide a shallow annular rib 45 on outer container neck 17 below the thread 18, and a cooperating inwardly projecting annular rib 46 around the lower edge of cap skirt 38. Ribs 45 and 46 are of such relative shape and dimensions that, upon initial assembly, cap 14 may be forced axially downward in FIGURE 1 to snap rib 46 past rib 4-5, and when cap 14- is rotated to uncover the discharge orifices the ribs 43-5 and 46 come into contact to resist further axial displacement of the cap and thereby define a mixing chamber 43 of optimum size. The operator can feel this resistance.

. Internally cap 14- is formed with an annular shoulder 47 which may encounter fitting flange 23 and limit axial displacement of cap 14 in the closing direction, thus protecting the cap tip against rupture when an operator turns the cap excessively tight.

While a discharge fitting and cap structure embodying an internal mixing chamber has been described, the invention is equally applicable wherein the discharge orifices eject the respective materials directly onto the place or" use.

In practice the inner and outer containers may contain any desired liquids, powders or like fluent materials that are to be kept apart until about the time of actual usage. For example I may fill the inner compartment with an abrasivecontaining fluent liquid mixture and the outer container with a bleach liquid such as sodium hypochlorite that tends to react with the mixture but it is desired to delay such reaction for optimum benefit until the actual application to work.

In operation, with the cap in the open FIGURE 1 position, the package is inverted so that the contents of both containers flow toward the cap. Then the wall 15 is squeezed. This ejects material from both containers through the respective orifices into and through mixing space 43, and the mixture stream discharges through cap opening 42.

A single gentle squeeze of wall 15 sufiices to eject metered amounts from the respective containers. Flexible wall section 34 completely collapses with each squeeze and thus ejects the same volume of material each time. The discharge pressures are transmitted through gas and liquid in the interior of the containers, and the collapsible inner container section 34 collapses readily even as the package contents are emptied.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a multicompartment dispensing package, an outer container having a closed wall at one end and a flexible side wall of polyethylene or like plastic material, an inner container comprising a relatively rigid section attached within said outer container and a collapsible end section of predetermined small volume, means at the other end of said outer container providing an end wall formed with discharge apertures individual to the respective containers, said relatively rigid section being attached to said other end wall and being resistant to collapse by transmitted fluid pressure when the outer container is squeezed and said collapsible section being carried by said relatively rigid section remote from said other end Wall and sing readily collapsed by said pressure, and closure means on said package separately blocking said discharge apertures.

2. In a multicompartment dispensing package, an outer container of the squeeze bottle type integrally formed of plastic material having a flexible side wall and a wall at one end formed with an opening, a relatively rigid fitting disposed within said opening, an inner container having a relatively rigid section attached to said fitting and a collapsible end section of predetermined small volume remote from said end wall, means in said fitting adjacent said end wall providing individual discharge orifices for the respective containers, and closure means on said package for separately closing said orifices.

3. A multicompartment dispensing package comprising a flexible walled outer container of the squeeze bottle type integrally formed of plastic material having a neck portion, an inner container attached to said neck portion and extending within said outer container so that the contents of both containers are isolated from each other, said inner container comprising a relatively stifl section secured to said neck portion and a smaller readily collapsible remote and section of predetermined small volume, means providing adjacent individual discharge orifices for the separate containers at said neck portion, and closure means on said package for separately closing said orifices.

4. In a multicompartment dispensing package, an outer container of the squeeze bottle type integrally formed of plastic material having a flexible wall and an open end, a relatively rigid fitting disposed in said open end, an inner container having a relatively rigid section attached directly at one end to said fitting for suspension within said outer container and a smaller highly flexible terminal section of predetermined small volume that is readily collapsible when pressure is applied to the outer container wall, adjacent discharge orifices in said fitting for said respective containers, and closure means on said package for separately closing said orifices.

5. In the package defined in claim 4, the rigid section of said inner container comprising a tube fixed at one end upon said fitting, and the collapsible section of said inner container being a thin-Walled extension of the other end of said tube of predetermined length closed at its outer end.

6. In the package defined in claim 5, said collapsible extension being a separate tubular element of predetermined length bonded onto the end of said tube.

7. A multicompartment dispensing package comprising an outer container of the squeeze bottle type integrally formed of a plastic material such as polyethylene having a flexible wall and an end opening, a fitting mounted within said opening and having a skirt projecting into the interior of said outer container, an inner container comprising a relatively rigid tubular section secured at one end on said skirt and a thin-walled flexible collapsible section of predetermined small volume closing the other end of said tube, individual adjacent discharge orifices for said respective containers in said fitting, and closure means on said package for separately closing said orifices.

8. A multicompartment dispensing package comprising an outer container of the squeeze bottle type having a flexible wall and an end opening, a fitting having an outer skirt mounted within said opening and a concentric spaced inner skirt projecting into the interior of said outer container, an inner container comprising a relatively rigid tubular section mounted at one end on said inner skirt and a thin-walled collapsible section of predetermined small volume closing the other end of said tube, and individual adjacent discharge orifices for said respective con tainers in said fitting.

9. In the package defined in claim 8, said outer container being formed with a neck surrounding said opening and within which said outer skirt is received, and a closure member threadedly mounted on said neck adapted in package closed position to independently close both of said orifices.

10. In the package defined in claim 9, said fitting being peripherally clamped between said closure member and said neck.

11. In the package defined in claim 9, coacting means on said closure member and neck limiting opening movement of said closure member whereby said orifices may discharge into a mixing space between said closure memher and fitting, and a discharge outlet for said space in said closure member.

12. In a multicompartment dispensing package of the type having a flexible walled plastic outer container of the squeeze bottle type and an inner container completely enclosed within the outer container with both containers having adjacent discharge orifices, said inner container having a readily collapsible section responsive to pressure on the flexible outer container wall to discharge an optimum volume of material from the inner container through its associated orifice, and closure means on said package extending to independently close both of said orifices whereby the contents of said containers are kept separated in the closed passage, said closure means being shiftable to a package open position wherein said closure defines with adjacent container walls a mixing chamber into which said orifices open, and there being a discharge outlet from said chamber through said closure means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,555,676 9/25 Leland 22294 2,608,320 8/52 Harrison 222386.5 2,873,887 2/59 Spero 222-94 3,002,658 10/61 Sajda 222 X EVERETT W. KIRBY, Primary Examiner.

LOUIS J. DEMBO, HADD S. LANE, Examiners. 

1. IN A MULTICOMPARTMENT DISPENSING PACKAGE, AN OUTER CONTAINER HAVING A CLOSED WALL AT ONE END AND A FLEXIBLE SIDE WALL OF POLYETHYLENE OR LIKE PLASTIC MATERIAL, AN INNER CONTAINER COMPRISING A RELATIVELY RIGID SECTION ATTACHED WITHIN SAID OUTER CONTAINER AND A COLLAPSIBLE END SECTION OF PREDETERMINED SMALL VOLUME, MEANS AT THE OTHER END OF SAID OUTER CONTAINER PROVIDING AN END WALL FORMED WITH DISCHARGE APERTURES INDIVIDUAL TO THE RESPECTIVE CONTAINERS, SAID RELATIVELY RIGID SECTION BEING ATTACHED TO SAID OTHER END WALL AND BEING RESISTANT TO COLLAPSE BY TRANSMITTED FLUID PRESSURE WHEN THE OUTER CONTAINER IS SQUEEZED AND SAID COLLAPSIBLE SECTION BEING CARRIED BY SAID RELATIVELY RIGID SECTION REMOTE FROM SAID OTHER END WALL AND BEING READILY COLLAPSED BY SAID PRESSURE, AND CLOSURE MEANS ON SAID PACAKGE SEPARATELY BLOCKING SAID DISCHARGE APERTURES. 